Bearing



H. GA REIST.

BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED APII15.I9I7.

His lttone@ H. G. REIST.

BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 5. IQII.

Ls, Patented Oct. 3, 192%,

Fig@

lventor; Henry C1. Reis@ -raaaaa oa. a, '19222,

j UNITED srAres PATENT rasa-850 ortica.

HENRY G. REIST, OF SCHENECTADY, INEW YORK, SSIGNOR TO GEEAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A COREORATION OF NEW YORK. l

' nnnnme Application led April 5,

To aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY G. Rms'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bearings, my object being to secure satisfactory service under even the severest conditions of heavy load or of high bearing pressure. i 1

lVhile the failurel of -bearings when the y, average load per squareinch of bearing surface exceeds a certain value may be eX plained in various ways, in general, nevertheless, it seems to be dueto uneven distribution of the total load over the bearing surface in such wise that it is virtually corrcentrated on a few spots of veryv limited area,-the rest of the surface carrying practically no load whatever. Such concentration may result from various causes,-such as irregularities or warping of the relatively moving bearing surfaces, imperfect alignment, etc., and the local pressures to which it gives rise vmay be as much as a hundred or more times the I'average pressure determined by dividing the total load by the total area. It is under these extreme local pressures that the initial cutting, crushing, or other damage leading to fallu're 'of the bearing surfacesy actually occurs; and it has Y, really been from the necessityl of keeping down these concentrated pressures that in practice the average bearing pressure has een limited to values such as to 150 lbs.

per squarev inch, for examplef-values far below the actual crushing strength of bearing materials. i

l have found that the average bearing pressure .can safely be raised considerably above the limits heretofore observed. rllhis l accomplish by construction of the bearing so as to distribute'the presosure 'more uniformly than heretofore and to minimize and .limit the concentration offpressure, so that i each portion ofthe surface shall always carry a fair share of the load and extreme disproportion between average andmax'imum pressureshall be lmposslble.v Thls do by providing that at least one of the relatively moving bearing membersniay lyield or give at any portion of its bearingr surface Y when the pressure materially exceeds the average pressure, in such a way that exceslum'. serial no. 159,916. f

arise from any cause shall be relieved by transfer of at least part of the load to other portionsl of the surface. Bearings con- ,structed in accordance with my invention will operate satisfactorily underload's as high as three or four hundred pounds to the square inch, or evei double that; whereas ordinary bearings fail when far lower limits of pressure are exceeded.

ll have obtained my best -results by means of a flexible bearing member yieldingly sup'- ported or mounted so that its bearing surface may give or adjust itself locally as mayv be necessary to compensateJ for any unevenness or warping in the lsurface of the bearing member in contact with it. A iexiwble bearing member thus supported will also adjust itself as a whole so as to compensate for imperfect alignment, etc' of' the other bearing member: These compensatory functions it performs far better than could any rigid bearing member, however mobile sive pressure on it that mightotherwilsew v eo I irregularities of bearing surface attained by my invention allows the bearing area to be reduced to th minimum compatible with the inherent properties of available bearing materials and available lubricants, and so f favors compactness and the minimizing of friction losses; increases tthe loads that can be carried without forced lubrication or risk of heating; renders extreme accuracy in the Amachining and finishing of surfaces unnecessary; and allows the newly assembled bearing to be run without special attention at the start.l .These features all reduce the cost vof manufacture and operation. My invention also "admits of great simplicity of construction, which still further reduces the cost of manufacture and upkeep; in particular, it not only permits the eliminationof the costly spherical seats heretofore indispensable in many cases, but performs all the functions of such seats in a far more 'efscribed thrust or step bearings suitable for` vertical water-wheel l generators and for l marine propeller-shafts, and also avjournal `bearing sultable for a Ahorizontal steam .turbo-alternator. While, however, these are --the best embodiments of my invention at present v known to me, and while the invention extends even to the specific features and details herein set forth, yet the invention is not confined to such speci-fic features and details, nor to bearings of these particular types, but can be otherwise carried out and applied, and can be employed in bearings between moving parts as well as in those between moving and stationary parts. p

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 isv va vertical section of one form of thrust bear# ving embodying my invention, taken on the line 1&-1 of Flg. 2; and Fig.v 2 is a plan view the bearing in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a fragmenta-ry plan view of certain parts that appear in section in Fig. 4. f

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section (similar to Fig. 1) of still another form of Y bearing. f

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of a journal bearing embodying my invention, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 8, as seen from the right; Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, as seen from above; Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the parts shown in section in Figs, 7 and 8; and Fig. 10is an enlarged fragmentary section illustrating in kdetail certain parts shownnin Fig. 7.`

Referring, now, to Figs. 1 `and 2, there is shown the upper portion or wall of `a generator housing 7 in which the Vvertical vgenvordinary guide bearing 9.

erator shaft 8 is journaled by means of the The step or thrust bearing of my invention is mounted on the housing 7 and surrounded by a casing 10 bolted or otherwise secured to said housing. i

The step bearing comprises relatively rotating upper and lower bearing structures or members 11 and 12 in rubbing contact witlf one another and receiving the bearing load or pressure (in, this case-the endxthrust of the shaft l8) one from the other.kv l The upper bearing structure 11 which rotates with the shaft 8 is relatively rigid andl inflexible, consisting of a collar ,part 13 suitably secured to the shaft and an annular bearing part or member-proper 14 bolted to said collar part. The annular bearing part or member llmay be of close-grained castiron somewhat harder than cylinder iron,

such as 50% iron and 50% steel, or of case hardened steel,` or of any other suitable metal. It is ground and polished or otherwise finished with a flat rubbing surface or face', and is shown as having in its face a number of radial oil-grooves 1'5. The lowerV bearing structure or member 12 is shown as l rendered flexible by being made in' the form of a thin, flat ring of any suitable metal,

such as boiler plate or other mild steel, and v l as' having a flat bearing surface 17 of Babbitt.

or other anti-friction metal with a number of oil-grooves 18 similar to the grooves 15 of the part 14. For an annular bearing member 12 with an outside diameter of 40 and a face 10 wide, the thickness may be about 1l,-1 boiler plate and Babbitt', or less, which will give a good degree of flexibility. At ,the bottom of one. of the grooves 18 the member 12 isfsawed or otherwise cut through (as at 19) to facilitate eX` pansion and contraction and minimize warping. If preferred the flexible member 12 may be made in two or morev segments for convenience in assembling and taking apart the bearing. If desired, the oil-grooves may be omitted from oneof Vthe bearing members 14 and 1.12. It is intended, in the bearing shown, that the flexible bearing member 12 should give r yield locally at any portion of its bearing surface, and the supporting means associated -with it is accordingly adapted to afford the diifusely distributed yieldin support necessary to` permit this. -As s own, this supporting 'means comprises a large number of helical springs 20 arranged so close together -that they in effect constitute an elastic cushion beneath said member 12. These springs may be of such strength vas to deflect 0.1 for a load amounting to 1500 o r 1600 lbs. per spring,` which would be a fair normal running load for a bearing of the dimensions mentioned above. The springs 20 are loosely fitted about projecting pins 21 inthe upper surface of an annular block or base ring 22, and this base ring 22 fits within a rabbetv23 in the upper side of the housing 7 and is kept from turning'by a number of pins 24. T-he bearing member v12 is guided in its. up and down movement under variations of loading, etc., and held against rotation or displacement, by means Y of a number of keysor dowel pins 25 which are seated in the base proved manner.

ring 22 in lany api The support afordedlby the cushion of springs 20 is, of course, not only yielding,v

but resilient as well, so that the flexible member 12 will come back or take locally throughout its bearing surface as well as give, as is necessary in .order ^that every portion'shall valways carry its share of the A load.

An oil tight c ircular dam 26" mounted about the shaft 8 1n `a recess in the base ring essential to their'intended function 4in the ,Lubricant enters thering 22 to the space about the dam 26. llt,

then flows outward through the oil grooves 15 and 18 of the bearing members 14 and 12.`

Viscosity and the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the member 14 insure a. free supply of lubricant to the bearing surfaces. @mission of the oil-grooves from one of the members 14 and 12 (as above suggested) will not materially affect the lubrication of the bearing surfaces as just described.

The guide bearing 9 is intended to'be lubricated independently.

rllhe lubricating system is not an essential part of my present invention, and may be altered as circumstances may require.

Reference has been made abovev to the fact `that under their normal r nning load the springs 20 lwill be compressed and delected about 0.1. Ordinarlly most of this deflection will occur when the machine to which the bearing belongs is'being set up; and it may not vary afterward until the machine comes to be taken apart,-except a little as the hydraulic conditions change in the water turbine. Often times a deection of suchl a magnitude and acorresponding endwise movementof the shaft-8 would be of no practical consequence: there may, however, be cases in which the load on the bearing is liable to be imposed and removed very suddenly,or even reversedf-and in which the. resulting endwise shift 'of Athe shaft would be disastrous. An example is the thrust bearing of a marine propeller shaft directly driven by a steam turbine,- the end thrust of the steam on the turbine rotor being balanced against the end thrust of the propeller. rHere a slight endwlse shift of the shaft on stopping, starting, or reversing, or when t-he propeller races (owing to the pitching of the vessel), m1ght result in a complete stripping of the turbine blades,- since no slip-joint could be interposed between the Ibearing and the turbme.

Now such'deflection of the springs 20 by the normal load and the accompanying endwise movement of the shaft 8 is entirely unbearing, which requires no more than an almost infinitesimal compression of some springs with an accompanying expansion of othe-rs,usually without any accompanying endwise shift of the'shaft at all. In cases where such deflection is objectionable', it

can be avoided by initially confining the springs underv a tension or deflection equal to or slightly exceeding that corresponding to the normal load, so that they will .not be deflected at all until the normal load is so far exceeded that their intended function in protecting the bearing surface from undue local concentration of pressure oughtto come into play. For 'this purpose the springs may be mounted and arranged as shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 3.

IAs hereshown, each spring 32 has associated-wilth it a. pair of abutments 33l and 34 and a screw or bolt 35. The screw 35 is threaded through the abutment 33, and its head rests at the bottom' of a countersink in -the abut-ment 34. The springs 32' are to be arranged and distributeddike the springs 20 ofvFi'gs. 1 and 2, theA lower end of each screw 35.1yin'g in a hole in the base ring 22 and serying the purpose of the pins 21 fof Figs. 1 and 2, and the bearing member 12 resting on top of the abutments In some cases. the ends of the screws 35 may be loose in their holes in thevbasering 22 in others,

it lmay be desirable to have them screwed in,

so as to hold the springs 32 securely. in place. Before'or after being put in place, f each spring willb'ecompressedto a tension of about 150G-2000 lbs. (for a bearing loaded as described in connection' with Figs. 1 and 2) by .proper 35 in the abutment 33, andthe upper surface or facevof the abutment' 34 may be 'accurately ground od, so that for all the springs the distance betweenl the faces of the abutments 33 and 34 shall be the same. Obviously/ the support aorded 'bye the springs 32 will be rm and uny'ielding to the normal bearing pressure, but will yield to pressure materially in excessof normal, so

that for practical purposes the flexible bearing memberv will behave exactly as in Figs. 1 and 2. 1 v

fFig. sa shows a construction suitablefor the thrust block of a marine propeller shaft, or for Aany other situation where the thrust is liable to reversal and end play is objectionable. This consistsessentially of a pair of lthe bearings of Fig. 1 facing in opposite directions, with the springs of each bearing mounted and arranged with interconnected abutments as shown in Fig. 3; As shown, the propeller shaft carries a rigid collar or :flange 36 with both its -faces adjustment of the screw/N adapted to serveas bearing surfaces. At

opposite sides of the flange 36 are flexible annular bearing members 37, 37 (each of .I

which may be cut'in half for convenience in assembling) and rigid blocks 38,38 (suitably secured and tied into the structure of the,

. plates may be of sheet iron such as armature iron .014" thick, or of other springier metal, and when the plate is free from load the corrugations may have a lheight of g to Lg from valleyto crest and va width of {fto from crest to crest. Except as it may be stiffer, this form of elastic cushion is subject` to the deflection under normal load referred to in connection with Figs. l and 2.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 6 difers from those already described in that the stationary fiexible bearing structure or member 52 is supported by a fluid cushion or pad comprising a flat, an-

I nularsheet metal chamber 53 filled with water, oil, or other liquid. The bearing' member 52 is held against rotation `or displacement by means of. links 54 bolted to its edge and to the base ring 55.l The bearing member 52 is, therefore, flexible and yield# ingly supported throughout, just like the bearing member 12 of Figs. 1 and 2; but while the diifusely distributed yielding support afforded by the fiuid cushion 53js resilient in the sense that it will cause the member to give and take locally just like the bearing member 12 of Figs. 1 and 2, it is strictly elastic only to the extent of such freeLair as may chance to be in the cushion chamber. Of course this fluid cushion 53 is practically free from the initial `deiection referred to in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. l

The effect of a local concentration of pressure on any portion of the iexible bearing member 52 is to force down this portion, displace some ofthe iiuid in the cushion to a regionl where the bearing pressure 1s low, and force up this latter portion of the flexible member, thus Aaugmenting the bearing pressure thereon until it carries its due share of the load. Thus there is -an actual direct, automatic, mechanical transfer of load from one portiony of the bearing surface to another; whereas in the construction 'ofl Figs. land 2, etc., there is anindirect automatic transfer .due to the elastic giving of the surface where the pressure is concentrated andthe 'elastic rise of the^surface` where the pressure is low.

The journal bearing illustrated in Figs. 7, '8, 9,'and 10 is closely analogous to the thrust bearingof Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft' 71 (which in general corresponds to the rigid rotating bearing structure 11 of Fig. 1) is shown as extending through the usual two-part housing'72, 72, suitable packing 73,73 being provided to keep out dustl and dirt and keep in the lubricant. The stationary bearing box structure (which in a waycorresponds to the base ring 22 of Fig.

`1) is shown as made in lower and upper 77 whose end lies in an enlarged hole 78 in 85 lsaid structure. Y

The lower bearing structure half 74 (see` Figs. 7 and 9) has three rows of closely spaced cylindrical pockets 80 for accommodating the helical springs 81 which form the 90 elastic cushion for supporting the flexible bearing member 82. For a shaft 71 of 10 diameter, the fiexible member 82 may be of gf boiler plate or other mild steel with a g Babbitt facing.l To facilitate and cheapen manufacture, `the' pockets 80 arey bored in a separate inner half-ringportion 83 of tie bearing structure half 74. Lubrication' and cooling of the bearing are provided for by .circumferential channels or A grooves 84 in the inner face of the part 83. and holes 85 through the overlying por` tions of the iexible bearing member 82. Oil is forced in at an inlet 86 through the housing 72. and the structure 74, iiows around ,through thechannels 84 to the outlet 87 and out through a groove I88' in the face ofthe structure 75 to the spherical seat 76, and is thence drained away through other outlets (not shown).

. It will be ordinarily be desired that the center of the shaft 71 should shift as little as possible, and as the particular bearing shown is intended to, meet Vsuchv a case, the

springs 811are.shown (seeFigs. 7 andA 10) 115' the normal bearing load around the semi- Y vcylindrical bearing surface of the flexible member 82. As shown, the bearing-for the .sprmgs 81 at the bottoms ofthe pockets 80 is on the protruding lower ends of the tension bolts 90 associated with the abutments 125 v91, 92, instead of Qbeing directly on the abutments 91: this, because of the curvature at the bottoms of the pockets, facilitates accurate tensioning of thefsprings 81 and arrangement of theparts so that each spring leev extending close to the shaft 71..

ing bearing members in contact with one an- 'part 7 4. Plates 97, 97 are the other,

. other and receiving fromtheother,

shall do its proper share in supporting the flexible bearing member 82.' hese springs 8lvand the abutments 91, 92 are of such diameter as to besatisfactorily guided by the Walls of the pockets 80 Without danger of sticking or binding.

Since the upper half'75 of the bearing structure ordinarily carries no load, it can usuallr be made of any preferred or approve unyielding construction, Without springs, e specially when a spherical seat is prov'ded to take care of imperfect align ment orI warping of the shaft 7l. As shown, said upper'half 75 has a separa-ble inner portion 93 with channels 29d-corresponding to the channels 84.-, but Without any spring pockets. 0n its inner face is a lining 95 similar'to the Hexible bearing member 82, but shown. as Without oil holes. Part of the lubricant supplied at the inlet 86 passes around through the upper channels 94 and serves tocool the upper half of the bearing structure.

' Rotation of the parts'4 82, 83,. 93, 95 with reference to the rest ofthebearing structure'l 74,75 is prevented by a pair of keys 96, 96 which lie in grooves in the edges of the upper yparts 75, 93 and 95', extendingv in close to the shaft 71 so'as to engage the parts 82, 83. 'lhese keys are kept in place 'by beingscrewed to'the upper edges of the screwed to the sides of the parts 83, 93 and overlap the edges .of the parts 74:, 75, thus keeping the parts 83, 93 in place in the parts 74, 75 and minimizing oil leakage. For this last purpose other plates 98, 98, are screwed to the edges of the parts 74, 75,their inner edges What l claim as new and desire tosecure tters-Patent of the United States is: l. A bearing'comprising relatively moving bearing members in contact vvith one'another and receiving the bearing pressure one from one of said members being iiexible, and supporting means, associated with' said latter bearing member throughout its bearing surface itorA automaticallyl transferringl I excess pressure on any portionfof such surto other portions thereo 2. A bearingcomprising relatively mov other and receiving the bearing pressure one from the other, one of said members being Yflexible, and supporting means associated with said latter bearing member aiiording it difusely distributed yieldi support, so' that said latter bearing mem er may yield locally at any-portion of its face. n

3. bearing comprising relatively mov- 'ing bearing members in contact With'one anthe bearmg pressureone one of said bearin "members being relatively rigid and iniexib e and theA iaeoeeo cushion associated bearing sur# l other being liexible and yieldingly supported throughout its bearing surface, ,so that it may yield locally at anyv point.

4. flebearing comprising relatively moving bearing members in contact with one another and receiving the bea-ring pressure one from. the other, one of said members being flexible,`-and supporting means associa-ted .with said latter bearing member affording it difl'usely distributed support which is firm and unyielding to the normal bearing pressure but yielding under pressure materially in'excess thereof, so that under such excess pressure the said latter bearing member may yieldl locally at any portion of 80 its bearing surface.

5. bearing comprising a bearing membei' rotating with a shaft, a stationary bearing member in contact` therewith and ,receiving the bearing pressure therefrom, -one of said bearing members being` flexible, and a with and affordingv said flexible bearing member diii'usely distributed resiliently yielding support, so that said flexible bearing member may give and take locall throughout its bearing surface.

6. bearing comprising relatively moving bearing members in contact therewith and receiving the bearing pressure onefroml the other, one of said members being flexible, 9'5 and an elastic cushion affording said latter bearing member. diusely distributed yields ing support,'so that said latter bearing member may give and take locally throughout its bearing surface.

7 A- bearing comprising relatively `moving bearing members in contact with ,one another` and receiving bearing pressure' one from the other, one of said members being i exible, and a cushion associatedwith and a'ording said latter bearing member diffusely distributed support, said cushion be ing firm and unyielding to the normal'bear-` f ing pressure but elastically yielding to pressure materially in excess thereof, so that under such excess pressure said latter-'bearing member may give vand take locally at any portion of its bearing surface.

8. A bearing comprising a bearing member rotating with a shaft, a stationary Hexi- 115 ing said latter bearing member didusely dis-l 13bl tributed-.elastically yielding support, so that` said latter bearing member may give and' for automatically transferring excess of pressure on anyportion ofthe bearing surface to other portions thereof.

lus

y 11. A bearing comprising relatively rotat, ing bearing members in contact with one -another and receiving the bearing pressure one from the other, one of said members being flexible, and spring supporting means laffording theflexible member difusely distributed support,said spring means being v confined under initial tension such thatthe support afforded the flexible member is firm and unyielding to the normal bearingpressure but elastically yielding to pressure materially in excess thereof, so that under f such excess pressure said flexible member may give and take locally at any portion of its bearing surface.

12. A bearing comprising a bearing member rotating with a shaft, a stationary ilexible bearing member in contact therewith and receiving the bearing pressure therefrom,

and `a multiplicity of springs arranged to form a cushion affording the flexible bearing member dilfusely distributed support, the

'springs being individually confined under initial tension such that the cushion is firm and unyielding to the normal bearing pressure but elasticallyyielding to pressure materially in excess thereof, so that under such' excess pressure theA flexible member may give and take locally throughout its bearin surface. y i l 13,. bearing comprising relatively-rotatingbearing members in contact with one another and receiving the bearing pressure 'one from. the other, one of said members being flexible, a multiplicity of helical springs arranged to form a cushion affording the flexible bearing member dilfusely distributed support, and end abutments for each individual spring interconnected to confine the spring under initial tension such that it is firm and unyielding tothe normal bearing pressure but elastically yielding to pressure materially in excess thereof, so that under such excess pressure the flexible member may give and take locally throughout its bearingsurface.

14. A bearing comprising a relatively rigid member having a bearing surface, a relatively flexible member having a cooperating bearing'surface, and yielding means for supporting said flexible member. l

15. A bearing comprising a relatively rigid member having a bearing surface, a relatively flexible member having a cooper;

ating bearing surface, and yielding means' for supporting said flexible member, at least sisting of a relatively thin flexible ring in.

Vone of said bearing members having rpasbearing contact with said annular bearingV surface,l and yielding means for supporting said flexible ring. 17. A bearing comprising a relatively rigid member having l an annular bearing surface, a co-operating bearing member consisting of a relatively thin liexible ring in bearing contact with said annular bearing surface, .and yielding means for supporting 'said flexible ring, at leastone of the bearing surfaces having apertures through which oil is delivered to the surfaces.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set vmy hand this-4th day of'A ril, 1917.

HEN Y e. REIsil-L 

